The Five Years
by The Devil Wears Westwood
Summary: "You are a woman and cannot be left in charge of the Locksley estate on your own." Robin of Locksley didn't just leave behind the love of his life when he went to war. He left his lands, his people, and his twin sister. Guy of Gisborne wasn't always as loyal to the Sheriff as he was when Robin returned. What happened during those years in Locksley that made him so cold? GuyxOC
1. Sir Guy of Gisborne

_The sky was still mostly dark but the sun was starting to creep out of the east. Yet, the sound of hooves approaching the house made sure that she would no longer be able to sleep. Rolling out of bed, Rena of Locksley pushed back her black curls and threw on her nightgown, heading to the main floor of the manor to see who had arrived. It had been a year since her twin brother had left for the Holy Lands and she always hoped that it would be him riding home. Though, as she approached downstairs she realized she was lost as to what was going on completely. In front of her stood the three months in position, Sheriff of Nottingham, Vaisey, and the new-comer to the noble meetings, Sir Guy of Gisborne. The Sheriff was sitting down in one of the chairs by the fireplace while Gisborne stood tall looking around the manor. When he spotted her, he smiled his eyes bright. While there had been much concern over the state of the shires when Vaisey had taken over. From the very beginning he was cold, ruthless, and imposing tax after tax. While Gisborne had seemed ambitious to Rena, he didn't seem to have the same coldness surrounding him. But he was Vaisey's new right-hand nonetheless. _

_"Sheriff," Rena said letting her present be known to the man who had not yet seen her. She looked around and saw Thornton, the housekeeper, also standing present in the room and reading a scroll. He looked up at her for a moment and frowned. "And Sir Guy, to what do we owe the pleasure at such an early hour?" _

_"Gisborne will be taking charge of these lands in your brother's absence Lady Rena. As you are a woman and cannot be left in charge of the state of them on your own," Vaisey replied sounding bored and looking as if he were wanting to get on with his morning as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. _

_"I require no assistance," Rena nearly snapped back, but instead settled for a settle whisper which seemed to go unnoticed. While these were her brother's lands, she could manage on her own. When Edward of Knighton was still the sheriff he had trusted her to continue to be in charge with some minor assistance from Thornton. But other than that, she had been managing just fine on her own. "I see. Well, welcome to Locksley, Sir Guy. Thornton, if you would please show Sir Guy to his room I would appreciate that. If you would both excuse me, I would like to prepare for the day," she finished turning on her heel and beginning up towards her room. Gisborne put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn and look at him. Her emerald eyes stopped to look down at him and she saw him doing the same with his charcoal colored ones. _

_"I hope this arraignment will prove to be beneficial for you, m'Lady. I will take over the matters of the estate for you," he stated finishing with a smile. He had seen her a few times throughout the Council of Noble's and had admired her beauty. Seeing her this close only showed him how much more she intrigued him. As he was lost in his own thoughts, he hardly saw her turn and leave back up stairs. He nodded as Vaisey left before having the guards follow Thornton upstairs with his things. It would be nice to finally have lands of his own. His father would be proud that he had secured this position of power at last._

* * *

4 Winters Later

(6 months before the return of Robin of Locksley)

The snow was falling hard on that winter's night. Rena walked out in Locksley, handing out blankets and small parcels of food to all of the families to help ensure they were all fed. She finally reached the house of Dan Scarlett, who had just lost his wife a few weeks prior. She wanted to see how the family was doing. She had been close with their eldest son, Will, her entire life but had not seen him since he buried his mother at his father's side. Knocking on the door, she slowly let herself inside.

"Will?" She called out to her friend. She walked around the small shack before finding the three Scarlett's gathered around their small table that Dan had built. They smiled at her as she walked towards them, Will pulling out a chair for her to sit. "I just wanted to bring you some food, I know it's been a long few weeks since Jane passed away." She looked down quietly having wanted to avoid reminding them of such a hard topic but they didn't seem to add to the hurt.

Dan reached across the table and lightly squeezed her hand. "You're a good girl, Rena," he said giving her a soft smile. He slowly opened the parcel and started handing out food to Will and Luke. He took a small amount and placed it on his plate before moving to put the rest of the food away. "Have you heard from Robin lately?"

Rena shook her head. It had been almost a year since anyone had brought home news of her brother on the war front. She had started to think that he would never miss home enough to ever want to come back to England. "No," she stated as she stood up from her spot. "If you need anything else, you are always welcome to come to the manor with your needs." She turned and left after hugging her friends gently. Will followed her out, opening the door for her as they walked out in Locksley.

"You're doing too much, Rena. You should be leaving these things to the Night Watchmen. If Gisborne were to find out…if the Sheriff were to find out," he stated shivering from the cold.

"The people of Locksley and their well being are my responsibility Will. Guy would understand, you do not give him enough credit for the decent man he really is. Trust me, he's a much better man than the Sheriff." While at first she had doubted that he could be different, she had grown to trust and care for Guy of Gisborne. While he was ambitious and eager to earn his title, he wasn't a cruel man. She had never seen him act out in line with the Sheriff's new laws even though she had heard rumors and stories. But she trusted his honesty with her and his promises that he was better than that. Better than ruining the lives of innocent people to get ahead in life.

Will nodded, knowing better than to try and argue with his friend. She was stubborn and it had become clear in the last few months that her feelings for Gisborne had only become stronger. But he was still not certain that he would allow her to help the people of Locksley as much as she did. Handing out food, money, and medicine were things that were luxuries after you could afford taxes under the new Sheriff and Prince John. He appreciated, as did everyone in the village, everything that she did but didn't want her to fall into trouble with the laws of the land. And he didn't trust Gisborne. "If you say so," he stated, opening the front door of the manor for her before turning to head home. "I'll see you around Rena." She nodded and hugged her friend before walking into the house.

Sitting down at the fireplace, Gisborne turned and smiled up at her as she walked through the door. He stood, lightly wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her gently. She leaned into his kiss for a moment before he pulled away and brushed some un-melted snowflakes from her hair. "Where were you?" He asked as he pulled off her winter jacket and pulled her into the dining hall to eat.

"Around Locksley," she replied sitting across from him. He raised his eyebrow at her. Why would she be wondering around in the snow just to go into the village? She saw his look and continued, "They needed some things and it's my job to fill in for the lord of the manor. Robin would have done the same."

His mind began to float with worry. She knew the laws. She wasn't supposed to be giving out that many handouts. The Sheriff wanted his people starving and hungry so that they would work harder. So they wouldn't complain about their taxes. "Robin isn't here. And you don't have any duty to these people. If you were to be caught-"

"Guy, trust me. I won't be caught. There are never many guards that pay attention to my actions and I'm not violating any restrictions he has put on my brother's lands. But I will not be kept from doing things for these people. If you want lands of your own someday, you need to understand how important that is. You need loyalty and not through force as the Sheriff has been teaching you," she finished as Thornton brought out their meal. She smiled softly at him as they began to eat in silence.

Guy sat thinking about what she had said. Loyalty through force was all that he was learning at the Sheriff's side. But perhaps she was right. The Locksley's seemed to have the respect and loyalty of their people or at least what he had seen through Rena. Still, it seemed unwise for her to go against the Sheriff. He didn't want to see her stripped of her nobility. It was hard for a woman to lose her name and title in this world and he didn't want it to happen to her. He kissed her hand as she rose from the table and watched as she headed up the stairs for the night.

"I love you Rena Locksley." He said with a smile. She smiled back at him before disappearing behind the corner.

* * *

As always, reviews are appreciated.


	2. The Sheriff's Birthday

_It had been almost a year since Gisborne had been assigned to the Locksley estates. For the most part, Rena avoided any contact with him. A few months had been more than enough to show what type of person the new Sheriff was: punish and kill first, ask questions later. She wanted nothing to do with the people who represented this new England. Though she had seen little of Gisborne's behavior, she still didn't want to interact with someone who shared the same responsibility over the poor of Nottingham. She had her meals separately in order to avoid having to have any conversations with the new, temporary "Lord of Locksley" and stayed out of his way when he was on the lands._

_Gisborne had noticed that she was avoiding him. While she attended councils and was forced to sit with him, it was the only time he saw very much of her or really heard her speaking. He tried to find himself in her path but she knew her way around her childhood home and avoided him well. Even as children, when he was growing up on his father's lands, he had always admired her beauty and her headstrong attitude. Now that he had returned he had hoped to be able to get to know her better._

_Spring was beautiful and strong after the harsh winter. Rena rolled out of her bed after hearing Gisborne leave for Nottingham. It was time to begin riding again. She had been taught, alongside Robin, her entire life on how to ride and it was her purest form of freedom. She walked down to the stables after her horse had been saddled and took off towards Sherwood. The path was fresh from the melted snow and had flowers blooming alongside. She became lost in her surroundings and continued to ride. It was then that she saw something that surprised her._

_While she knew that lepers and outlaws took to these forests to hide from the Sheriff's men and their crimes, she didn't know that Guy of Gisborne would be found at one of these colonies. His body was covered, only his eyes exposed to those around him but she could still identify his physique. He was alone, which meant that he couldn't be on the Sheriff's errand. She watched as he dropped a bag of food and what appeared to be coins in front of one of the outlaws and looked as if he wanted to give him a hug. She was surprised. A man of the Sheriff was going against his rule of helping the poor._

_Just as she went to ride away, her horse was spooked by a snake that slid across the path. She was thrown off, landing down hard on her back and arm as her horse ran off into the woods. Guy looked up at the noise and saw, who he thought to be Rena, just as she was thrown onto the ground. He ran up the hill and lightly lifted her into his arms. "Rena?" he stated with panic in his voice. Her eyes were open but she looked dazed and confused as if she was ready to fall into shock._

_Guy brushed his fingers across her forehead, trying to get her to respond to his actions if not his words. She let out a low groan of pain from her arm, finally starting to be able to deal with the shock her body had been thrown into. She looked up at Guy and nodded slightly, still in agony from her fall. He picked her up and carried her to where he had tied up his horse. He rode quickly back into Locksley calling for Thornton to get a physician on his way immediately. After the order was given, Guy lightly placed Rena in bed and sat next to her while they waited._

_Finally able to speak through the pain, she looked at him unable to hold back her curiosity. "Who was that man? In, in the woods, what were you doing?" she whispered looking up at him with wonder._

_"You didn't see me doing anything, Rena," he replied, almost sourly. He didn't want word getting back to the Sheriff that he had helped one outlaw man. The Sheriff would never accept this and he would lose all of the power and position he had been working towards. But when he looked back at her emerald eyes, still filled with pain, he could also tell that she wasn't going to settle for this answer. And perhaps, he thought, if she could see another side of him that he wouldn't hold back from having more conversations with him. "A friend of mine. Well, former friend. He fell out of favor with the Sheriff and I saw him safely to France," he replied._

_Rena's eyes softened from their curiosity and preformed notions that she had gained about Gisborne. Never would she have imagined that someone who worked for the Sheriff would help save a friend. "You cannot repeat what you saw to anyone, Rena. I cannot lose favor with the Sheriff. He already thinks I am weak. I must be loyal."_

_"I won't," she quietly promised, laying back in bed as the physician knocked at the door. Guy stood out of the way as she was examined and her arm bandaged. He stayed the entire time, quietly watching over her. He stayed until the moment that she fell asleep peacefully, the medication taking effect to wipe away her pain._

_The next morning, able to walk around even with the bruises that were forming on her back, Rena made her way downstairs. Guy had not left for Nottingham yet and was sitting in the dining hall. She sat next to him and they passed small hellos to each other._

That was the first time Rena had joined him for a meal. Though conversation had been slow between the two of them, it quickly heated up. She did not remember him from her childhood, or at least she had not said anything to him about it. He didn't mind, he wanted to leave his demons where they were. While he had rough feelings left behind towards her brother and her deceased father, he held nothing against her. He smiled as she walked downstairs, dressed in a beautiful blue gown he had found for her birthday a year ago. It was around that time that he had started to court her and every day he felt as if nothing could bring him more joy.

"Good morning," she said, smiling at him. While their conversation the night before had left her at a little odds with him trying to tell her what she could and couldn't do for her people, she had decided to let it go. "I think I will go to Knighton Hall today, since you should be in Nottingham preparing for the Sheriff's birthday," she told him.

"And you will join me there this evening?" he asked. She nodded at him. He smiled back at her and rose from his seat, planting a small kiss on her head. "Good, I have something for you later on." He walked out the door and headed off into Nottingham, glad that the snow had ceased falling for the day.

Rena took a carriage into Knighton shortly after Guy had left. Ever since Marian had started being the Night Watchmen, she always felt the need to check in on her friend every morning. While Marian had been her friend long before she was supposed have become Lady Locksley, something that Robin had thrown away upon leaving for the Holy Lands, she still felt like they were family and she couldn't harbor the idea of what would happen were Marian caught for her acts.

Marian sat by the fire, nursing a small cut she had received on her leg while making delivers in Nettlestone that evening. It wasn't deep, but the rubbing of her dress had made it once again begin to start bleeding. She knew that her father would be furious with her if he had found out about this business, so she was trying to quickly bandage her wound before he made it down to leave for Nottingham. She only managed to bandage herself moments before there was a knock at the door. Slowly she opened it, before being embraced in a hug by her friend.

"Glad to see you're alright," Rena whispered, making her way into the house. Marian gave her friend a soft roll of her eyes. Rena worried too much about the whole business. She was a smart woman, trained and clever at getting herself out of negative situations and the guards were too mediocre to be able to handle the Night Watchmen.

Edward had heard the noise too and headed down the stairs as Rena entered. While very few people were allowed into Knighton Hall—the Sheriff didn't trust him and knew he held loyalty to the King over Prince John—Rena was one of the few exceptions. She had been underestimated in her abilities and loyalties because she was only a woman and Gisborne was stationed at Locksley to make sure that everything was in order. He nodded a friendly hello at her before noticing Marian wince as Rena brushed past her to take a seat.

"What happened to your leg?" he questioned, moving quickly towards his daughter his voice full of concern. Marian offered no answer, just sat. "Marian-"

"I pushed too hard on the door, Edward, I hit her with it," Rena replied for her friend. She knew that Edward would spot any lie that Marian told him but didn't have the same notions about when she would lie. Edward nodded, believing it just as Rena knew she would. He offered them both goodbyes as he headed into Nottingham, stating that he would see them at the Sheriff's feast.

"You need to be more careful," Rena stated, slightly as a caution. She knew her friend would never give up this business and often wished that she could join in. However, it was hard for her to help her own people without Guy becoming concerned, she couldn't imagine being able to sneak out and help more of the poor as the Night Watchmen. She threw a bag of coins to Marian from underneath her coat before taking it off and sitting it besides her.

"I am," was all that Marian replied, tucking the coins away in one of the drawers downstairs. Rena was always offering money in order to help her plight and she appreciated it. She wouldn't be able to take as much money to the poor if she didn't have the donation as her father would notice the larger sums going missing.

"Will scolded me for helping the people of Locksley," Rena smiled, laughing slightly as she remembered their conversation. "Said I should leave it up to the Night Watchmen but why should you get all the glory?"

Marian nodded, becoming quiet and slightly put off by the tone of her voice. It was in these moments that she saw in her friend the mannerism of her former fiancé. Rena picked up on this note of sadness and quickly changed the subject. "What do you think of Guy? I know it's been four years since he came and a year and a half since we started courting but Will is always cautioning me against him. I know the rumors, but I've told you why I don't believe it."

"He loves you, Rena. And he is very different from the rest of the Sheriff's men. He is a genuinely good man who makes his best in his position. He is neither ruthless likely the Sheriff but he also follows more of the laws that were enforced," she replied. "If he were truly the Sheriff's man, you would have been told out for helping the people of Locksley by now." Rena nodded, the small thoughts of doubt floating out of her mind. "Now, we should probably go and get ready for this evening."

The parties were always grand in the Great Hall. The banquets for the Sheriff's birthday were among some of the grandest and largest feasts that took place throughout the years. Especially for Vaisey, as the man had a large amount of pride and admiration that had to be met by the Lords—no matter how forced these praises always turned out to be. Vaisey sat back at the front of the table, relaxing after the courses of food had been laid out. Dancing was not his style and he stayed seated while the rest of the Lords began to fill the room.

Guy pulled Rena onto the center of the floor with him, spinning her around slowly and drawing her in close to his arms. He was thrilled for this evening, as the Sheriff had agreed to one of his requests. As they danced, he waited for the moment at he would be able to show her what the night had in store for them. He leaned down and kissed her as there was a small lull in the music. "Rena, as you know, I am a man in a great position of power and coming a long way with my wealth. I am the Sheriff's man and I can offer you everything you could ever need or want for."

Rena's heart skipped a beat at his words, knowing where they were headed. While she hated that he focused so much time on needing the position and the wealth to please her, she understood the lack that of provision that he was trying to make up for in his past to have a better future. She looked up at him as he continued. "Since your father has passed away and your brother is in the Holy Lands, the Sheriff has agreed to my request—that is if you want it to be." He slowly knelt in front of her, pulling from his pocket the ring that had once belonged to his mother. The other Lords and Ladies had stopped around them, watching as the proposal happened before their eyes. "Will you marry me?"

* * *

Reviews are appreciated, as always :) thanks to anyone who has read my story thus far and I hope you have enjoyed the update.


	3. Engagement

_After Rena had been thrown off her horse, things changed between her and Guy of Gisborne. They became close friends and spent time riding together. While she had never been as good as her brother at archery, Guy volunteered to help her. At first, he was a little skeptical about a woman learning a man's skill. But the first time he ever saw her shoot showed him that she rivaled his skills. It surprised him how good she was. He hadn't seen much of her skills as a child as Robin was always running around showing off. Part of him hoped that her brother would never return from the Holy Lands. They had never liked each other and he was starting to care more and more for his sister. Robin would interrupt whatever was starting to grow between the two of them._

He had tried to start courting her two times before he finally agreed. It had taken nearly two years into their friendship for her to start caring for him. Even though they had been friends since her accident, she still didn't trust him. Every moment of those two years he was trying to prove himself to her. He tried to keep the people of Locksley from the worst of the Sheriff. He let Rena make her rounds to help people even though he thought the action was dangerous. If this was something she had to do, he was going to be as supportive as he possibly could be. She cared for others, so he was learning to care for them also. All of this helped to soften Rena to Guy's affections. He saw beyond the beauty all of her other suitors seemed fixated on. And there was nothing she appreciated more than being respected as an equal and admired for more than her beauty. 

_For their first outing, Guy planned a private picnic on the outskirts of Locksley. It was a small token but he knew she would appreciate it more than some bold gesture. She was easy to please which made her different from the other Lady's he had met. He smiled as she joined him on top of the hill, laying out the meal he had had prepared for their evening. They sat and talked while they ate, laughter erupting between the two of them. Even on their first evening in courtship, Guy knew that he wanted to marry her. She was his light in the Sherriff's dark world. He wanted her around to keep him in check—to keep him from falling too deep down the dark path that the other members of the Sheriff's inner circle had broken down into. She kept him grounded._

"Thank you," he told her as they rode back into Locksley. "For giving me this chance."

"You earned it," she said, smiling up at him. Her heart was racing. While he had always been attractive in his black leather suits, laid back in control on his horse, tonight there was even more running inside of her head. She didn't think she would ever be able to truly care for him but that was changing more and more with each passing day. He wasn't a part of the New England that she hated. He represented that which was still good even in the face of the laws that had been made in King Richard's absence. He represented hope for a brighter day even if things had to be this way for now.

After leaving their horses to the stable boy, they walked back inside of Locksley Manor. Guy light a fire as the spring evening had turned a little cold at a soft wind. She smiled at him and looked up with a loving sparkle in her eyes. He leaned in and closed the distance between their lips with a simple kiss. Guy seemed to have a little more experience but he kept it slow and steady for Rena. He didn't want to rush her and he was truly enjoying this moment between them. She pulled away smiling before bidding him goodnight.

Both headed back to their own rooms for the night. But it was a restless night thinking about a possible future with the other. If things kept going the way that they were that evening, they could get married somewhere in the future. And for the first time, Rena realized that was something she truly wanted more than anything. She giggled turning over on her side for sleep. What a crazy thought considering they still had a while to go and see how things would play out. She didn't even know who would be able to give her away if Robin didn't return before they were to be married. She closed her eyes and fell asleep as the thoughts melted away from her mind.

"Yes, Sir Guy," she smiled beaming. He stood up after placing the ring on her finger. Everyone who had gathered around them started to clap. But neither of the newly engaged couple heard their congratulations or cheers. They were too busy wrapped up in their own special moment. Guy leaned in and kissed Rena for the fifth time in the course of their courtship. This was the best for both of them. He brushed a stray curl from her face as they turned to face the growing cheers and celebration that had just unraveled around them.

Marian pulled her friend in for a tight hug. She was truly happy that Rena would be starting her future with a man who truly cared about her. For a moment, her mind flashed to her engagement party to the other Locksley. Quickly, she shook those thoughts out of her head so she could focus on being happy for her friend. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Rena replied. She smiled at Marian trying to make sure that she was okay. Throughout the last four years they had been each other's support system. Now Rena was moving on in life and Marian was stuck in the same place that Robin had left her in. A small nod of the head gave her the reassurance that Marian was alright with her life as the Night Watchmen and to go back to the party.

Guy pulled Rena into another dance after they had been tugged around between the nobles who wanted to offer their congratulations. He smiled down at her and took another look at the ring on her finger that bound their love and them to each other. He hoped for a short engagement. He couldn't wait to make this wonderful woman his wife.

"You look stunning with that extra piece of jewelry."

Rena smiled. She was ready to begin a life with him but she was in no rush to move their engagement. She could tell that he would want it to be over quickly but she still wanted to be able to take time planning their wedding and maybe send a letter to Robin in the Holy Lands and let him know what was going on. "Thank you, Sir Guy. I'm a very lucky woman."


End file.
